Category Archives: Translations
Sweet Portmanteaux
Winnie the Pooh “Well,” said Owl, “the customary procedure in such cases is as follows.” “What does Crustimoney Proseedcake mean?” said Pooh. “For I am a Bear of Very Little Brain, and long words Bother me.” Winnie L’ourson — Ma … Continue reading
Posted in Food Writing, Translations
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The Snows of Yesteryear
Kenkō Essays in Idleness #31 Translated by Meredith McKinney One morning after a beautiful fall of snow. I had reason to write a letter to an acquaintance, but I omitted to make any mention of the snow. I was delighted … Continue reading
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Persian Poise
The Gulistan (Rose Garden) of Sa’di translated (2008) by Wheeler M. Thackston from Chapter Eight: The Art of Conversation One cannot rely on the friendship of kings or on the beautiful voices of boys, for the former can change on … Continue reading
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Reduplications Reduplicated
Andrea Cohen Nightshade p. 25 “Blizzard” [opening] All night plows plow. Snows snow. Lovers somewhere somehow love. Reminds me of Émile Nelligan “Soir d’hiver” which begins: Ah! comme la neige a neigé ! Ma vitre est un jardin de givre. … Continue reading
Posted in Poetry, Translations
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Cis-trans-cis/trans
“the tenacious pleasures of victimhood” Pankaj Mishra Consider a solution for lots of washroom and good/bad feminist debates: a Trans only, Cis only, Cis-Trans combined spaces, all fungible (mutually interchangeable) with proper signing and postage. Turn to Ontario Human Rights … Continue reading
Erotic Reconnections
Sniff and Sip — Sip and Sniff Taste is made for pairings — grounds you even more in the now more than smell : it’s on the tip of your tongue Taste is a sense that loves to be paired … Continue reading
Posted in Perception, Reading, Storytelling, Translations
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Superlative
A good translation is a joy especially in the world of advertising. This example is from a jar of pickles. Our friendly bilingual stork says: “That’s the best pickle I ever heard” “Le plus croquant des cornichons” And one can … Continue reading
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Infox
It is a lovely French neologism to capture what English refers to as “false news” or old-fashioned “misinformation”. mot-valise créé à partir d’information (info) et d’intoxication (intox) qui signifie information fallacieuse https://dictionary.reverso.net/french-definition/infox I like the conflation of information and toxicity … Continue reading
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Delirious Othering Details
Critics have noted the play in Nicole Brossard’s Amantes of délire and de lire. JE N’ARRÊTE PAS DE LIRE EN CE JUIN DES AMANTES There is an echo elsewhere in Amantes in a quotation from Italian in “ma continent” “Non … Continue reading
Posted in Poetry, Translations
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Licking the Good Finger
This was making the rounds in 2000… it’s timeless in its wisdom. Des étudiants en médecine reçoivent leur premier cours d’anatomie avec un vrai corps humain. Ils sont tous réunis autour d’une table d’opération avec le corps recouvert d’un drap … Continue reading
Posted in Storytelling, Translations
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